World Cup round of 32: Can Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe keep scoring with Norway and France in action

Key Points:

• Brazil narrowly defeated Japan with a late normal-time winner, marking the latest knockout stage goal recorded since 1966, while Germany and the Netherlands were both eliminated on penalties.
• Upcoming matches include Ivory Coast vs. Norway, France vs. Sweden, and Mexico vs. Ecuador, with teams like Ecuador, Ivory Coast, and Sweden seen as battle-hardened contenders aiming to replicate the success of Morocco and Paraguay.
• Lionel Messi leads the Golden Boot race with six goals, ahead of strong contenders such as Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, who face challenging defensive opponents in the knockout stages.
• Mexico has performed impressively in the group stage with a perfect record and high goal conversion rate, but faces a stern defensive test against Ecuador, which could challenge their current momentum.
• France's depth of talent offers multiple attacking options beyond Mbappe and Dembele, making them a formidable opponent, while Norway's path to the semifinals looks difficult despite Haaland's key role.